This weeks BBall rankings: KU 2nd but lots of first place votes.

[BigVE]

Not that it matters right now either way. Just a note. KU got 23 first place votes in the AP and 10 first place votes in the coaches poll. Memphis creampuff schedule shouldn't present much of a challenge to them but KU will be tested in the Big12. Go hawks, go KU!

[Ceej]

A Darnell Jackson v. Joey Dorsey matchup would be a dream. Two similiar bruising mentalities would make for a fun game down in the post if we play Memphis.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by KevB

Let's see, last year Memphis played Oklahoma, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arizona, Cincy, and Gonzaga in the non-con. The year before that, they played Alabama, UCLA, Duke, Providence, Tennessee, Gonzaga, Texas, Purdue and Cincinnati. Tell me again about their "nothing to look at" non-con schedule.

For last year, only Tennessee finished the season going into the tournament ranked in the top 25, and that's only because they were ranked #25. Real tough. The year before that was better.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by KevB

Lack leadership? They have a team full of players who have gone to 2 straight Elite Eights. They start a senior, three juniors and a freshman.

And? There's more to leadership than what year you're in.

The inside offensive presence is a combination of guys in Douglas-Roberts, Derrick Rose, Dozier, etc. because of the offense they run. The drive and kick gets a bunch of shots in the lane, just not with the traditional post-up with a big guy.

I realize that, but they still lack a dominant offensive inside presence, so when they finally encounter a team that can defend on the perimeter, it suddenly becomes a lot tougher.

They're clearly not unbeatable, nobody in college basketball is. They have a few weaknesses in the free throw shooting and streaky perimeter shooting. But they have fewer holes than any team in the country.

I'd disagree. I'd say that they have the same number of holes as the other top 3 teams.

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by BigVE

Parody is so prevalent in college b-ball anymore who knows WHO is really "all that" until tourney time.

So you think college basketball is a joke?

Or did you mean parity?

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by kstater

Not that it matters, but what do you guys think of all the ranked "mid-majors". Do you think that the voters are purposely trying to send a message to the NCAA committee to get these guys in? Not griping, but St. Mary's is ranked, and looking at their schedule they have 1, maybe 2 good victories?

I was wondering the same thing about St. Mary's, because they talked about St. Mary's as "for real" last night during OSU/Texas because they beat Oregon. I seem to remember Oregon losing to Nebraska, so I looked up both schedules... Oregon also lost to Oakland, so it's not a real high quality win. Other than that, St. Mary's lost to Southern Illinois by 15 and Texas by 20.

I'm sure they could surprise someone, just like any other mid-major, but 24th in the nation?

[Lzen]

Originally Posted by KcMizzou

Eh, **** off. At least we got you in football.

I'll take that any day.

Does anyone see the irony?

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by KcMizzou

We'll get better... and you know even when we're shitty, we give you guys all you can handle.

Yeah, one of these days your most important basketball games won't happen in the regular season... just like football.

[SithCeNtZ]

Originally Posted by Bearcat

I was wondering the same thing about St. Mary's, because they talked about St. Mary's as "for real" last night during OSU/Texas because they beat Oregon. I seem to remember Oregon losing to Nebraska, so I looked up both schedules... Oregon also lost to Oakland, so it's not a real high quality win. Other than that, St. Mary's lost to Southern Illinois by 15 and Texas by 20.

I'm sure they could surprise someone, just like any other mid-major, but 24th in the nation?

It's an interesting contrast to what the college football polls are like. In football, if you start out unranked people will look for every reason to not rank you. If you do break into the top 25 you will largely be hated on or just ignored for the most part. The college football landscape is more about being right in the preseason and doing whatever it takes to make your predictions look correct rather than merely adjusting your perceptions to what has actually happened.

Quite the opposite in basketball though. In basketball its all about being the first to tab the sleeper under dog pick who wins a couple of games in the tournament. Thus, you get stupid picks like St. Mary's and Butler who get way way too much credit for being a mid major. Every year it happens and when the inevitable one mid-major wins a couple of games in the tournament everyone says "SEE! We were right that the mid-majors were just as good as the big guys".

[KevB]

Originally Posted by Silock

And? There's more to leadership than what year you're in.



I realize that, but they still lack a dominant offensive inside presence, so when they finally encounter a team that can defend on the perimeter, it suddenly becomes a lot tougher.



I'd disagree. I'd say that they have the same number of holes as the other top 3 teams.

So you're saying they don't have leadership, even though they've won 42 or 43 and have gone to two straight Elite Eights. They have a seasoned team that knows how to win, but yet you subjectively say "they lack real leadership". Care to explain?

Who in the other "top 3" does have a dominant inside presence? Dorsey and Dozier can defend any team's inside game, so I don't see a team that would have a decided advantage on either end in the lane.

I think a Memphis vs. KU matchup would be fun to watch, as they are very similar. I don't see another team today that would beat Memphis. By the tourney, UCLA/North Carolina/Tennessee/unknown hot team could be good enough.

[BigVE]

Originally Posted by Lzen

So you think college basketball is a joke?

Or did you mean parity?

Figures some smart@ss KU fan would point out a misspelled word....

[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by SithCeNtZ

It's an interesting contrast to what the college football polls are like. In football, if you start out unranked people will look for every reason to not rank you. If you do break into the top 25 you will largely be hated on or just ignored for the most part. The college football landscape is more about being right in the preseason and doing whatever it takes to make your predictions look correct rather than merely adjusting your perceptions to what has actually happened.

Quite the opposite in basketball though. In basketball its all about being the first to tab the sleeper under dog pick who wins a couple of games in the tournament. Thus, you get stupid picks like St. Mary's and Butler who get way way too much credit for being a mid major. Every year it happens and when the inevitable one mid-major wins a couple of games in the tournament everyone says "SEE! We were right that the mid-majors were just as good as the big guys".

Very good points, and I think part of it has to do with the bias for the big college football programs has stayed around because of the BCS. At the end of the day, the presidents would rather have a questionable Big 10 team in a BCS bowl than a more deserving team. A mid major has to go undefeated to even crack the top 15.

The BCS is still about ratings and selling tickets, while March Madness ratings are in larger part driven by the George Masons of the world.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by KevB

So you're saying they don't have leadership, even though they've won 42 or 43 and have gone to two straight Elite Eights. They have a seasoned team that knows how to win, but yet you subjectively say "they lack real leadership". Care to explain?

I just don't see a leader on the court when I see them play. I don't know how to explain it.

Who in the other "top 3" does have a dominant inside presence? Dorsey and Dozier can defend any team's inside game, so I don't see a team that would have a decided advantage on either end in the lane.

I said "offensive" inside presence. Defense they've got inside. Hansbrough is dominant inside, and KU is pretty good inside (at least as good as Memphis).